Aeroplane.



I. FARMER.

AEROPLANE, AIPLIOATI'O'N FILED JULYlz, 1910. y

Patented July 18, 1911.

2 sHEBTssHEET 1.

RTARMEB.'

AEROPLA'NE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED JULY 12. 1910.

Patented Ju1y`k18, 1911.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

58 519 lli,

Wille@ ceases.

FREDERICK FARMER, 0F -WORCESTEIM MASSACHUSETTS, ASS'IGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TOMATTHEW IPERCIVAL WHITTALL,

0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

7 Annemans i v applicati@ aiedauiy 12, 1910. serial No. 571,566.v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, vFREDERICK FARMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Toi-caster, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Aeroplane, of which thefollowing is a specification. l y

This invention relates to an aeroplane and is capable of'application tomonoplanes, b iplanes, gliders and other machines of this generalcharacter. y

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a-siinple andpractical means for balancing the machine and keeping it on an evenkeel, and to provide means of.tliis character which will be operatedautoinatically by the tilting. or tipping of the machine andvwhich canbe operated by hand, if desired.

'Further objects and advantages` of the in, vention will appearhereinafter. i

Reference isto be had to theaccoinpaiiy ing drawings in which y Figure 1is a plan of a biplane constructed in accordance with this invention.Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a-plan of the balancing orstabilizing planes. Fig. 4 is a front eleva/tion thereof, and Fig. 5` isan end view of the same. n The invention is shown as applied to. a typeof machine having a top plane 10, bottom plane 11', front control 12,rearrudder 13, taille, propeller 15, and other Ifeiratures' which areknown in this art. The form and construction of the frame-work,propelle'rs, rudders, etc. may be of any desired style and .character`and oiieftype only is selected for"ill'ustrationvherein. y'

"Thefraniework is 4provided at the oppo-` site yfront end' cornersjwithvtopa'nd' bottom,b forgings or castings ongits end struts. Theseforgings or castings the s'trutfsock-4 ets and `arep'rovided withbearingsy on the' top and bottom, respectively, for a vertical' tubularIshaft 21. On each ofthesefshafts is xed a warped balancing oistabilizing plane 22'preferably'supported byv a pair of to the shaft andextends therefrom-substantially in a horizontal line, but they arespaced from each other on the shaft, the upper; arm

. being at a material distance above tli'e lower arm. At the ends thesearms are connected by a. rib 24 which extends from the end ofSpecification of Letters 'Patent height .of the .operators shoulder.ylatter two devices, the weight of the parts one to the end of the otherin an inclined Patented July is, 191i.

direction. This rib may be of any desired shape but it is shown hereinas curved. These arms and -tlie rib forin a frame or skeleton todetermine the shape of the warped plane 22. At its upper end the rib 24sturns upwardly and at the lower end downwardly, so as to producecorresponding curves 25 in the plane. From the construction that has-been described, it will be seen that this warped plane is higher on oneside than onthe other, and that it 'gradually rises from the low side tothe highr side through an angle of `about'ninety degrees, the armsVbeing placed at about right-angles to each other. The curves 25accentuate this feature.

The two balancing planes are located so thatpboth upper arms are on theouter side.

The two shafts 21 are providedl with fpulleys -in the same plane. Abelt, chain or cable 31 is fixed to these pulleys as by screws 32Asothat the two yshafts must turn together` 'simultaneously` and throughthe saniearc. It .will be understood that these flexible connections 31can be operated by 'hand' as| they pass directly infront of theoperator.l `However, it is desired to have them operate automaticallyand for this `purpose a pendulum 35 is shown at the cente'r'ofthemachine `hung from a pivot 36 above soas to swing freely transversely of-th'e machine and connected 4with one of the strands of the endlessconnection 31.

' If desired, the pendulum instead of being 4an otherwise useless weightby itself, can rbe formed by, using the radiator 33 of. the ,gas,enginev'or by vusing the seat 34 for the operatorfor that purpose. Inthis case, the seat is swung from a pivot at about the By'the arranged,the pendulum, radiator, or seatw-ill hang vertically downward and whenlthe machine is operating on an even keel, will keep at the center. Thisis the position radial arms 23. 'Each of these aims`is fixed shown inFigs. 1 and 3 and the balancing planes are located in a central neutralpolsition with the Vane 25 also in neutral pocount of the constructionof this balancing plane, its projection into this position will producean additional buoyancy on this side and cause this end of the cartorise. is due to the shape of the warped'plane andithe position of thehigh arm thereof and is assisted by its curved edges. At ,the same timethe other plane swings inwardly and itslower `arm comes to the frontwhile its high arm is at the rear. In this way, it goes through'the airlin such way as to cause 'a depressing effect atthis end, although not asgreat as the buoyant effect on the other "end -While this double resultis effective for the purpose of righting the machine and bringing itback to a level position, it has 051e disadvantage in that the ,twoplanes being at different distances from the center 'l have a tendencyto swing the l machine around slightl and take it out of its course toone side. n order to avoid depending.

on the ordinary rudders for the purpose of counter-acting this effect,automaticmeans is shown for the purpose of immediately i causing asteering action to take place in the with each of the balancing planes.

oppositedirection. This consists in the provision of a vertlcalvane' inconnection' of these vanes normally is centrally located and extendsfrom the' 'shaft back to the center of the rib 2li. Each `vane ismounted on a frame 37 which has aneye 38 encircling the shaft 2l and isadapted to `swing thereon. The position vof each Vane is lim` ited by adog 39 fixed to the shaft and adapted to engage the outer side of theframe 37 while the vane is swinging to its limiting position. This dogis so located onf'the ver- I tical shaft 21. that when the plane startsto swing inwardly it brings' the vane around toward the center of themachine. At this time the other vane is left free, because its dog movedaway fromit. In this wa. ,lit will be seen that the steering effect othe planes can be entirely counter-acted.

The purpose of theupward curves,25 in the two balancing planes is tocounteract t-he .tendency to drift, produced when the planes areoperated.' By the upward turn at the outer side the air is' forced topass underthe plane and thus tend to lift it. v While I have illustratedand 'described a preferred embodiment of the invention, and shown it asapplied to particular type of aeroplane, I am awaregthat manymodifications can be made therein, and that .it can-Joe applied to-rnany or all types .of

It will be obvious, that on ac- Eachinvention as expressed in theclaims. Tberefore, 'I do notjwish to be limited to all the details ofconstruction shown and described, or to the particular type of machineillustrated, but

What I do claim is 1.'In`an aeroplane, the combination with the planelorplanes,iof a vertical shaft, a balancing plane fixed to said shaft andhaving two rearwardly extending edges at an angleto each other, theouter one of said edges being higher thar the inner one, and means forturning the balancing plane about the axis of the shaft.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination of the pla'ne or planes, a pair ofvertical shafts located at opposite sides thereof, and a bal ancingplane extending rearwardly from each shaft in a general horizontaldirection, cach of said planes havingan outer edge and an inner edge,said outer edges being higher than the inner edges, and a rear edgeconnecting the ends of the outer edges.

3. In an aeroplane, the combination ofthe planeor planes, verticalshafts located at lopposite sides thereof,y a balancing plane extendingrearwardly from each shaft, each of said planes having an outer edge andan inner edge, said outer edges being higher than the inner edges, and arear edge con necting the ends of the outer edges, and means forlsimultaneously operating said balancing planes to swing one inwardly andthe other outwardly.

4. In an aeroplane, the combination'of the plane or planes, a pair ofvertical shafts locat ed at opposite sides thereof, balancing planesextending rearwardly from each shaft in a general horizontal direction,and means automatically operated by the tipping of the aeroplane forswinging both of said balancing planes in the same direction vandbringing the one on t-he lower side out and the one on the upper sidein.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination of the plane or planes, a pair ofbalancino` planes extendin in a genral horizontal irection rearward y,and means automatically operated by the tipping of the aeroplane forswinging both of said balancing planes in the same direction andbringing the one on the lower sidel out and the one on the upper sidein.

6. In a device of the character described, I

have no effect upon the relative height of the two sides of the device,and for automatically `swinging them, when thedevicc tips, toward theside which tips down.

-7. 'In a device of the character described, the combination of a pairof vertical shafts one at each side of the device, two' arms 011 eachshaft at an angleto each other,'and projecting.l outwardly from theshaft in a horizontal direction, the outer ot' said arms on each shaftbeing higher` than the inner arms, a frame-work' connectingsaid armslacovering for the frame-Work and armscon` stituting a warped plane. meansfor normalty keeping both of said wai'-ped planes in a neutral position,and for automatically swinging them when the device tips, said meanscomprising a. pair of pulleys on said shafts, an endless flexibleconnection for said pulleys, and a weight suspended from above andconnectedwith. said flexible connection.

- S. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pairof vertical shafts one at each side ofthe device, two arms onl eachshaft. at an angle to each other, and

projecting outwardly from the shaft, the

outer of said arms on each shaft .being ,higher than the inner arm, acovering for the arms constituting a warped plane, means for normallykeepingl both of -said warped planes in a neutral position and forautomaticallyV swinging them when the device tips, said means comprisinginflexible endless connection connected with said shafts and adapted toturn them both through the same angle and inthe same direction, and agas engine radiator suspended. from above and tree to swing transverselyot' the` device and connected with said flexible connection,l wherebythe, swinging of said radia- 'tor as the device tips will move theconnec-` tion and swing the shafts.

t). In a device of the character described, the combination of aVv pairof vertical shai'ts one at. each side of the device, two arms on eachshaft at an angle. to each other, and projecting. outwardly -froni theshaft, the outer of said arms on cach shaftbeing higher than thoinnerarms, a'covering for the arms constituting a warped plane, means fornormally keeping both of said warped planes in a neutral position andfor automatically swinging them when the device tipsg said meansconn-)rising an endless t'lexi.

ble connection connected with said shafts, and a seat t'or the operatorsuspended from above and connected with said flexible connection.whereby when the. car tips the seat; will swing and move. the llexibleconnection to turn the shafts.

10. Tn a device of the character described, the combination of avertical shaft, a pair to its position.

ofarms vfixedpto the shaft and extendingfrointhe saine at right anglesto the shaft., andat an angle to eachother, one of said arms beinghigher Ithan the other. a covering connecting'saidlarms and producing awarped balancing plane..,aiid means fpr turning said slia'ftftol bringeither. one-,ofl said arms to the front,. whereby',the warpedfplane willbe either. depressed Jor buoyed up, 'according 11,` In a device ofthecharacter described. the combination of a warped balancingplane'oscillatable on a vertical axis. having two -.outer armsprojecting substantially vvhorizionti'illy 'from said axis'at an :ingleio eachother. one located lugher than the.

other, a covering for said arms connecting one arm with the other and-constituting a warped balancing plane. said cover projecting'upwardlyalong the outer arm and downwardly,r along the inner arm.

12. In a device of the character described, the 'combination of avertical shaft. a pair of arms fixed to the shaft and extending from thesame at an angle to eoch other. one of said arms being higher than theother. a' covering connecting said arms and produc'- ing a warpedbalancing plane. means for turning said shaft to bring either one ofsaid arms to the front, whereby the warped .plane will he eitherdepressed or`buoyed upf and a vane mounted to swing on said shaft andnormally extending directly backward'l y therefrom, said shaft beingprovided with means for swinging the 'ane to a position in-4 which the,vane acts as a rudder to counter-aet the steering efl'ect of theoperation of the balancing plane. y

13. In an aeroplane, the combination of the plane or planes, verticalshafts located at, opposite. sides thereof, a balancing plane 'extendinglniclnvardly from cach shaft,

means automatically operated by the tippiner of the aeroplane forswinging both of sait balancing planes 1n the same direction andbringing the one on the lowerside out,

and the one on the upper side in, and means for counteracting thesteering etl'ect produced by this operation.

14 In a device of the character described, t-he combination of a pair ofvertical shafts one at. each side of the device.- two arms on each shaftat an angle to each other. an

. 15K. Ina device ofthe character described, the combination of avertical oscillat-able shaft, a balancing plane vsecured thereto andprojecting backwardly therefrom, a vertical vane mounted to turn on saidshaft and .extending backwardly therefrom, and a dog Ameans forlaterally shifting saidjbalancing planes, and an automatic steeringmeans adjacent to each of said balancing planes. 17. In an aeroplane,the combination of a a balancing plane at each side of the aero lane, asteering vane adjacent'to'- each ofpsaid balancing planes and means forautomatically bringing each steering Vane into action when needed tocounteract the` steering effect ofits adjacent balancing plane.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my'hand, in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses. 1

FREDERICK FARMER. Witnesses:

ALBERT E. FA'Y, C..FoRREsT WEssoN.

Copies' of this patent may be obtained for vle cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

